OPENING UP THE COLONY. 



recover from the careless habits into which they had sunk. 'Tis 

 true, the storms of adversity are now howling around the land. Fear 

 and trembling have seized upon her merchants and bankers, her 

 tradesmen and mechanics, her agriculturists and graziers, and many 

 are ready to give up all for lost. A panic has seized upon her people, 

 and under its maddening influence everybody is anxious to sell, and 

 nobody willing to buy. The inevitable consequence is that property 

 of all kinds has become already depreciated. Three years ago the 

 colonists were drunk with exaggerated joy ; they are now just as 

 drunk with exaggerated despondency. And as the elation of their 

 spirits then caused property to mount too far far beyond its intrinsic 

 value so their present dejection has caused it to fall as deeply below 

 what it is fairly and honestly worth. 



" Meanwhile, however, the bonjes and sinews of colonial wealth re- 

 main precisely as they were. Our vast extent of territory has not 

 been contracted ; our soil has not been impoverished ; our hills and 

 dales are still clothed with living and spontaneous verdure ; our skies 

 are not less bright ; our climate not less genial ; our flocks and herds 

 are still thriving and multiplying ; our fleece still retains the peculiar 

 virtues for which it has been so highly valued in Europe ; our new 

 export of tallow promises to be as profitable as that of our staple 

 commodity, wool ; and we shall no longer be obliged to trust to 

 chance to decide the value o-f our flocks and herds." 



In 1847 Governor Sir Charles Fitzroy imported into New South 

 Wales a few purebred Brahmin cattle. A few years later Mr. Pye, 

 of Parramatta, obtained a few head of these Brahmin cattle and bred 

 them pure. Mr. E. H. Woodhouse, of Mount Gilead, Campbelltown, 

 afterwards bought a pair (a bull and a cow) from Mr. Pye. At a sale 

 of the Mount Gilead stud herds in 1880 the following advertisement 

 appears : " Purebred Brahmin cattle, one bull and ^ne cow. These 

 cattle were bred by Mr. Pye, of Parramatta, and a>r represented to 

 be directly descended cattle imported by the late Sir Charles Fitzroy. 

 They are a very handsome pair, and both in full breeding power." 



Writing in 1847, Governor Fitzroy stated : " I have received a 

 despatch from the Right Hon. the Secretary of State on the subject 

 of establishing steam communication between England and this 

 colony, by way of the Cape of Good Hope, and by means of vessels 

 fitted with auxiliary screw propellers. The great importance of a 

 speedy introduction of any means to effect a certain and rapid postal 

 communication with England is so obvious that it needs no further 

 comment." 



During much of the early history of this colony, and particularly 

 in the old racing days, there were no less than three "Exeter Farms." 

 No. i, situated at South Creek, owned by Charley Roberts ; No. 2 

 was situated near Sutton. Forest, owned by Henry Badgery ; No. 3 

 was situated in the Braidwood district, and owned by Messrs. Hassall 

 and Roberts, who were for years associated with Mr. Ette D'Mestre, 

 who owned the famous Terrara stud, on the banks of the Shoalhaven 

 River. 



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